It was in the summer-time, during my vacation, that it began to
exert its full influence upon us. A more unfortunate season could
not have been selected. At first, I may say that it did not exert
its full influence upon me. I was away, during the day, and, in
the evening, its influence was not exerted, to any great extent,
upon anybody. As I have said, its habits were exceedingly orderly.
But, during my vacation, the things came to pass which have made
this chapter necessary.
I did not intend taking a trip. As in a former vacation, I
proposed staying at home and enjoying those delights of the country
which my business in town did not allow me to enjoy in the working
weeks and months of the year. I had no intention of camping out,
or of doing anything of that kind, but many were the trips, rides,
and excursions I had planned.
I found, however, that if I enjoyed myself in this wise, I must do
it, for the most part, alone. It was not that Euphemia could not
go with me--there was really nothing to prevent--it was simply that
she had lost, for the time, her interest in everything except that
baby.
She wanted me to be happy, to amuse myself, to take exercise, to do
whatever I thought was pleasant, but she, herself, was so much
engrossed with the child, that she was often ignorant of what I
intended to do, or had done. She thought she was listening to what
I said to her, but, in reality, she was occupied, mind and body,
with the baby, or listening for some sound which should indicate
that she ought to go and be occupied with it.
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